Independent operating means for electric switches.



No. 690,787. PatentedA lan. 7,1902,

J. H. SPANGLEB. l INDEPENDENT UPERATWG MANS FITELEGTHIC SWITCHES.

(Application led Apr. 17, 1901.)

Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

N//ll////////////////ll////////////////////////////////////// f//f/l/l////////////////////////////////////////////7/// rl/////// msrvlonns mins co.. Pumaumc.. WASHINGTON. o. c.

No. 690,787. Patented 1an. 7, i902.

J. H. sPANGLEB. -INDEPENDENT OPERATING MEANS- FOR ELECTRIC SWITCHES.

4. (Application tiled Apr. 17, 1901.) l (no Modem 2 sheen-sheet 2.

THE NORM: PErEns co'. PNomLrrHa.. WASHINGTON. u. c.

Unirse STATES PATENT- OFFIC. v

JOHN H. SPANGLER, OF GRAFTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

`iNDEPENDE'NT-CPER/WING; MEANS (FCR ELECTRIC SWITCHES;

srncirrcn'rrolvlfommng pare @f Letters Patent'No. eeojrs'z, cated January 7, 190e.

l Application led April 1'7, 1901. Serial Nol 56,250. v(No modeLi To all whom mayicon'cerm Be `it known' that I',.I OHNH. SPANGLER, a citizen of the United States of Am erica, residing at Craftominthe'county lof Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Independent Operating Means for Electric Switches, of`

which the following isa specification, refer'- ence being had therein to the accompanying drawings. l

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvementsin hand-operated devices for electrically-operated switches, the object being' to provide in connection with an electric switch an independent Vdevice by means of which the switch-tongue may be moved independently of the electrically-operated means for actuating the switch-tongue.

In the use of automatic electric switches employed in connection with street-railways it is sometimes desirable to provide means whereby the switch-tongue can be thrown by manual means or by means independent of the switch-throwing circuit and mechanism operated thereby. Such a means is desirable in case the switch-throwing mechanism that is operated by the switch-throwing circuit should be out of order, also at times when repairs are being made to the track at the point where the switch is located.

This invention is designed to be used in` tion, combination, and arrangement of parts,

as will be hereinafter'more speciically described and thenparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In describing the invention in detail refer ence will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and

wherein like numerals of reference will be employed for designating like parts throughout the different views of the drawings,` in which- Figure I is a front elevation of the device interposed in the connecting-rod between the switch-tongue and the solenoid, the casing having its door removed. Fig. 2 is aside yview with the door of the casing closed and the latter in vertical section. Fig. 3 is atop plan view of the link that is interposed in the connecting-rod. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the adj ustablejmember which connects the lower end of the link to the connectingrod and to which the operating-cable of the man" ual means is connected. '.Fig. 5 is a detail perspective viewof an electrically-operated switch, showing the independent means for actuating the switch in position. vertical sectional view of a part ofthe casing,

Fig. 6 isay showing a modified form of construction of "L the connecting-rod. l

' In my electric switch shown and described in Patent No. 668,662 I support the solenoid from a post at the side of the track, connecti ing 'the solenoid by a cord, cable, or chain to mechanism located in the road-bed and connected tothe switch-tongue. I may, however, employ a rod for connecting the solenoid to 'the switch mechanism, and in such case the rod l is passed i through a tubular casing 2,

and in this tubular casing 2 I interpose a box `orf`casing jprovided near its upper end, at

screws I0 or other like means@A The shaft 6 extends outwardly at one side ofthe'boxo'r casing and has secured thereto a hand-lever 7.

The connecting-rod l instead of being con-V tinuous from the lower end of the supporting`- post to the solenoidis separated or divided,

and its one end is passed into the upper end of a link 11, in which it is free to work, being held against removal, however, by nuts'12, threaded onto the end of the rod. The lower end of this link 11 is provided with teeth 14, which interlock withteeth 15, formed on an upwardly-extendinglug 16, carried by a connecting member attached to the other part of the rod. These teeth are held in engagement by a bolt passed through the link at its lower end and through the lug 16, as shown at 17. This connecting member has a socket 18, into which the upper end of the lower part or member ofthe connecting-rod is secured, and it also carries a lug or ear 19, extending outwardly at right angles thereto and provided with an aperture to receive the flexible connection 9, thelatter being passed through said aperture and having a nut 20 secured on its lower end.

In case it is desired to operate the switch independently ot' the electric means the handlever7 is pulled outwardly from the supportingpost of the solenoids, which will cause the nut 2O on the end of the flexible connection to be drawn into engagement with the lower face ofthe lug or ear 19 of the connecting member, and thus move vertically that portion of the rod 1 that .is below the link 11 and actuate the switch-tongue, the link 11 sliding upward on the upper portion of the rod 1 and imparting no motion thereto. When, however, the switch is operated electrically, it will be observed that the movement of the upper part of the rod 1, caused by the energizing of' the magnets, will also move the link and the lower portion of the rod 1 vertically to actuate the switch-tongue, the lug or ear 19 during such operation sliding upward on the flexible connection 9. It will thus be seen that the interposing of the manual means in the connecting-rod in no manner interferes with the operation of the switch electrically and that the manual means When operated imparts no movement to the core of the solenoid to which the connecting-rod is attached.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modified form of construction in which the link 11 is dispensed with, and I provide the lowe'rend of the upper member of the rod with teeth 14' to mesh with the teeth 15 ofV the lug 16 of the connecting member. The cord, cable, or chain 9 is attached to this connecting member in the same manner as'when the link is employed. With this rigid connection the operating of the 1ever 7 will raise the entire portion of the connecting-rod 1 instead of only the lower member thereof, as in the aforesaid described construction. This will of course necessitate the lifting of the solenoid instead of allowing the same to remain stationary,as in the case where the link is employed.

It will be observed that in the practice of the invention various changes could be made in the details of construction from that shown herein and specifically described without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the character described, the combination, with a connecting-rod between the switch-operating mechanism and the solenoid whereby the switch may be operated electrically, ot' manual lneans for operating the switch including a flexible connection means for operating said flexible connection, a connecting member carried by the connecting -rod and slidably engaging the ilexible connection so as to move independently of the tlexible connection when the switch is operated electrically, and means whereby Jthe flexible connection when actu; ated engages with the connecting member to operate the connecting-rod, substantially as described.

2. Manual means for independently operating electric switches, comprising, in combi nation, a connecting-rod between the switchoperating mechanism and the solenoid, a pulley, a lever for operating said pulley, a ilexible connection having its one end secured to said pulley,- and a connecting member attached to the connecting-rod and provided with an apertured lug to receive the flexible connection, the said flexible connection remaining inactive when the switch is operated electrically, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a divided connecting; rod between the switch-operating mechanism and thesolenoid, of a connecting member car ried by one of the members of the connect-j ingrod, a pulley, a lever for operating said pulley, and a ilexible connection between the connecting member and the pulley, substantially as described. 4

4.. In a device of the character described, the combination with a connecting-rod between the'switch-operating mechanism and the solenoid whereby the switch may be oper'- IOO reg'

ated electrically, of manual means for actud ating the switch including a flexible connec-` tion, and means for operating said flexible connection, a connecting member carried by the connecting-rod and through which the flexible connection is passed, the said lexi' ble connection remaining stationary when the switch is operated electrically, and means carried by the flexible connection for engagement with the connecting-rod when the flexible connection is actuated, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a connectingrod between the switch-operating mechanism and the solenoid whereby the switch may be operated electrically, of manual means for actuating said rod to operate the switch, said means including a flexible connection, means connected thereto for operating the same, a connecting member carried by the connecting-rod and provided with an apertured lug through which the flexible connection is secas? passed, said connecting member adapted to slide on the iiexible `connection when the switch is operated electrically, and means carried on the free end of the flexible connection for engagement with lche connecting member -to permit the manual operation of the connecting-rod and the switch, substantially as described.

6. Manual means forindependently operating electric switches, comprising in combination with a divided connecting-rod between the switch-operating mechanism and the solenoid, a link connected to one end of said rod and slidable on the other end, a flexible connection withsaid link, a pulley-.wheel to which said flexible connection is secured,and a handlever for actuating the pulley-wheel t0 operate the'switch-throwing mechanism, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with the divided connectingrod, of` a casing into which said rod extends, a link connected to one end of said rod and slidable on the other end thereof within the casing, a pulley mounted within the casing, a handlever for operating'said pulley, and flexible connections between the link and the pulley, fis andfor they purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. y

JOHN H. SPANGLER. Witnesses:V

JOHN NOLAND, A. M. WILsoN. 

